Mexican fisherman faces $1 million lawsuit after survival at sea
Jose Salvador Alvarenga, a Mexican fisherman who survived being lost at sea for 438 days, is now facing a $1 million (₹83,000,000) lawsuit. The family of his deceased crewmate, Ezequiel Cordoba, initiated the legal action following the publication of a book about Alvarenga's ordeal. The book, 438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea, details their ill-fated fishing trip in 2012 that turned into a week-long battle against nature when their boat was caught in a severe storm.
Castaway: A perilous journey into the deep sea
Alvarenga and Córdoba began their journey on November 17, 2012, in small, nimble fiberglass boats, venturing 50 to 100 miles offshore into risky deep-sea waters. For seven days, a storm battered their boat. They lost the engine, radio, and fishing gear, and the boat had only an icebox and a bucket. When the storm ended, Alvarenga realized they had drifted far from Mexico. Though he saw planes overhead, their small boat was invisible without a mast or flares.
Stranded at sea: Alvarenga's battle for survival
Their bodies were starved for water and protein. The intense sun scorched them, and their only shelter was huddling together in the icebox. Alvarenga recalls seeing numerous cargo ships pass by, unsure if they were real or imagined. He signaled them without any response, at last hoping that only God would save them. The pair survived by consuming turtles, bird blood, and fish. Tragically, Cordoba fell ill and died after 10 weeks, leaving Alvarenga alone in the vast ocean.
Alvarenga's rescue and subsequent legal battle
Alvarenga's ordeal ended when he reached Ebon Atoll, an island approximately 10,783 km from Mexico. He found a beach house owned by a local couple who helped him signal for help. After his rescue and the release of the book about his experience, Cordoba's family sued Alvarenga on allegations of cannibalism. Alvarenga strongly denied these allegations, stating that he and Cordoba had made a pact not to resort to cannibalism.
Lawyer suggests lawsuit may be motivated by royalties
Ricardo Cucalon, Alvarenga's lawyer, suggested that the lawsuit might be an attempt by the family to claim a share of the book's royalties. He told Elsalvador.com that he believes the demand is part of the pressure from the family to divide the proceeds of royalties. Interestingly, even if Alvarenga had resorted to cannibalism, he might not be liable for compensation under the common law defense of "necessity," provided he did not kill Cordoba.
Validated by science: Alvarenga's 438 days of survival
Alvarenga wasn't concerned about journalists doubting his story. Later, the University of Hawaii and several independent oceanographers confirmed that his remarkable survival was indeed possible. Their research showed that the ocean drift patterns and weather models aligned with the 6,000-mile journey he described. He has since collaborated with journalist Jonathan Franklin on a book about his extraordinary survival, titled 438 Days.
